and such as is necessarie for you for the glorie of his holy will. The letter of Abra to Lisuarde by the which she comforâ—eth him for the losse of his wife and of his sonne aduertising him that he ought to search hir amityes with promise to graunt it him In the .8 Booke the .71 Chapter ABra the Empresse of the Babilonians Princesse of the Parthes and commaunding thréescore kings my vassalles gréeteth you Lisuard of Greece Emperor of Trebisond halower of the waters of the Sea with the royal bloud of Zair my very honorable Lord and brother Ye shall vnderstand noble prince that yesterday very lately I knew of the visitation that fortune hath made you by the death of your dere spouse and of your onely sonne Amadis of Greece whereof I promis you I was greatly displeased For notwithstaÌ„ding that the obligatioÌ„ that I haue to the iust vengeance of him of whom I am sole inheriter and to the wrong as ye know that you your selfe did me do greatly constrayne me to hate you to death yet cruell loue that doth dayly vndermind my heauie heart to loue you but too much will not suffer it to consent to the ruine and destruction that I haue prepared for you The whiche truly doth cause me to name you and that of right a louer and a friend of the high Gods the whiche haue founde and thought it good to proue your courage and extreame constancie not onely by the strength of manye a braue man and beastes more cruell the whiche ye haue conquered and tamed but also with the rodde of their might and supreme power they haue punished you with so hard and gréeuous persecutioÌ„ that I being your enimie as I am haue felt it in my soule so that I wept with both my eyes iudging thereby what that dolour and heauinesse might be that ye suffered for the losse of your wife and louer so déere and your only sonne so commeÌ„dable And yet being true as it is true indéede that the consolation of the vnfortunate is to find their like Yet ye haue some occasion to moderate this greate anoyance by that that I beare euen such another or there lacketh very little as yours is Ye haue lost as men say your wife and I could neuer recouer him whome I only merited to haue to my Lord husband that is your selfe that hath made me oftentimes maruell howe it was possible that so great amitie might conceiue in heart so great hatred where such conformitie ought to be represented And yet if ye way all things well the time present doth shew you him whome ye ought to folow in time to come And that it is so ye sée the end wherevnto your great prosperities haue brought you The heauens are not alwayes in one being nor Lisuard also ought not to be continually victorious nor Abra alwayes ouercomde by him What then must I sorrow and be heauy for the mischance that maketh and aduanceth at the sight of the eye a better fortune than I may wish for and that doth promis me a sure recompence of the loue that I haue nourished so long in my soule yea and vntill he put him into my hands that so cruelly and by so many long dayes hath illuminated and inflamed my heart the which I already haue almost distild in the fire of Ielously Truly all things well considered it séemeth Lisuard that the time approcheth in the which I may execute vpoÌ„ you the vengeaÌ„ce that ye haue merited finishing my anguishes and the hatred that I beare you by the augmentation and increacement of loue the Gods giuing you the knowledge of the euill that ye haue done me with the will to aske me pardon and me to graunt it you Therefore I counsel you to preuent the time and sooner to beléeue my aduice than your owne opinatiue will knowing the forces that I haue so nigh vnto you and well minded to do you more harme than I desire ye shoulde haue The answer of Lisuard to Abra giuing hir thanks for hir good will and that he feeleth himselfe very fortunate to be retayned in hir good grace and fauor In the .8 booke the .76 Chapter MAdame I haue presently receyued your letter that it pleased you to write vnto me and by the same ye do certifye me of the trouble and anoyance that ye felt for the vnfortunable chance that happened to my dere companion and spouse to my sonne Amadis and principally to my selfe for the loue of them For the which I cannot sufficiently thanke you assuring you that I estéemed no otherwise of your honestie knowing it to be no lesse accompanied with clemencie swéetenesse and naturall goodnesse thaÌ„ with vertue prudeÌ„cie and kingly nouriture Yet for al this I at the first was astonied how it might be possible that ye shoulde iudge me fortunate to be thus touched as I am with the rodde of God and to haue lost so much if it were not for this that I hope to haue for my pacience a reward in another life And moreouer I do maruell of this that ye mainteine and compare your losses to mine vnto the which vnder your correction there is no similitude at all For I haue lost my Lady and my louer and ye haue yet in me a seruant well affectioned and shall be as touching you all his life the honor and duetie of the estate reserued as it ought to be and in such sorte that notwithstanding the greate enmities that ye haue against him he will assay and inforce himselfe to obey honor and serue you Trusting so much in the goodnesse of God that promptly and within a short season my iustice shall be knowen and youre wrong made manifest reproued and of your owne proper conscience finished Ye furthermore write vnto me that the tyme dothe approch that fortune shall deliuer me into your handes in recompence of the paynes that ye haue suffered in louing me to much I know not why ye should hope so for the thing that ye haue already for I sweare vnto you by the God of heauen and of the earth that there is not a gentleman in all the world that is more yours and more at youre commaundement than I am or that loueth you so muche or more The whiche thyng ye shall knowe where and when it shall please you to commaunde me aduising you for the rest not to trust so much in fortune as ye séeme to doe For althoughe she hathe for a trouth bene now entierly againste me it is not said that she will fauor you in all poyntes iudging in your selfe as ye very well doe counsell me One good thing I haue that the threatning that ye about the latter end of your letter do threaten me withal doth so much assure me that I feare a great deale more the swéete casting of your swéete eyes than the fury of all your souldiers togither kissing for the rest the handes of youre highnesse euen the same that desireth to haue a
thée taking againe the force to serue hir the whiche of hir grace and goodnesse hath reuiued thée Orianes letter to Amadis by the which she excuseth hir selfe vnto him of certaine faultes of loue the which were in hir In the second booke and .10 Chapter IF the greate faultes committed through enmitie afterwards reknowledged to humilâ—at hirselfe be worthy of parâ—on what ought it to be of those that are caused through too great abundance of loue yet my faithfull louer I do not denie you that I deserue not much paine For I should haue considered that when things be most prosperous and ioyful that fortune the which doth spye and considereth them doth come then to bring them heauinesse and miserie Also I should haue remembred your vertue and honestie the which was neuer found in fault and aboue all I should not no not to dye for I haue separated from my vnderstanding the remembrance of the great subiection of my heauy hart the whiche procéeded nor came not but of that wherein youre owne was inclosed being certaine that if any flames haue bene cooled so haue myne also as it is perceyued and in suche sorte that the enuy that he had to find rest vnto hys mortall desires hath bene the cause to augment tâ—em But bicause I haue fayled as they doe that being in the hyghest of their good houre and fortune and very certaine of theyr loue of whome they be loued nor cannot comprehende in them so much goodnesse become iealous and suspitious more by their imagination than by reason dusking this cleare felicitie with the cloude of impacience beléeuing sooner the report of certaine persons it may be that speake euil not very true and vicious than that of their owne conscience and certaine experience Therefore my faithfull friende I pray you effectually to receiue this my damsell as from hir that recogniseth in all humilitie the great fault that she hathe commiited as concerning you the which shall cause you to vnderstande better than my letter the extremitie of my life oâ— whome ye should haue pitie not for any merite but for your reputation the which is not estéemed and iudged cruell nor séeking veÌ„geance there where ye find repentance and subiection when that no penance can come from you more rigorous than that that I my selfe haue appointed and ordeined for my selfe the which I beare and paciently do suffer trusting that ye will remit it and restore vnto me your grace and fauour and lykewise my life that dependeth thereof The lamentation of fayre Tenebreuâ— whiche returned from Mireflâ—ur declaring vnto the Damsell of Denmarke that without cause he had suffered many things touching hir that she was not a faithfull louer In the second Booke the .10 Chapter BY my conscience sayde the fayre Tenebreuâ— I was neuer in more daunger of death and I maruell where she hath forged this fantasie that she had against me seing that I neuer thought to do the thing that shuld displease hir And notwithstaÌ„ding I had forgotten to think on it yet I deserued not so cruel a letter as this is that she wrote vnto me And although I make not the outward shewes and hypocrisies that many caÌ„ do and make yet I leaue not of to measure the goodnesse and graces that I haue receiued of hir nor this thought was not sowen in so euill ground that she shuld not regard the fruite as long as the spirit shal haue meanes to cause the heart to liue seing that the one and the other are wholy dedicate to serue and to obey hir Ah ah my God I remember that when Corissande came into our poore hermitage I beléeued then that it was done for me The good Lady lamented hir selfe of the passion that the suffered for louing my brother Florestan too much and I should die for very displeasure to be so wrongfully chased away by Oriane How great paines what trauels what vnmeasurable torment haue I thus long suffered in the poore Rocke hauing consolation of no creature liuing but of the good Hermit the which solicited me and spake to me of pacience Alas what hard penaÌ„ce for a thing not offended beléeue me my welbeloued Damsel that I was so greatly troubled that from one houre to another I desired deathâ— and oftentimes also I feared to lose my life but thinke vpon the desperation wherein I was then when I shewed the Damsels of Corisâ—ande the song that I made in my great tribulation The Oration of Gandalin vnto fayre Tenebreus brethren to encourage them to searche and to succoure him In the .2 booke the .12 Chapter BY God my Lords all your wéepings cannot cause him to be found whome ye desire if it be not by some other good diligence that ye may newly take vpon you And notwithstanding that ye haue already done what ye can so ye should not he anoyed to séeke him better than euer he waâ— yet sought for seing that ye know welynough what he particularly would haue done for you if fortune had aduanced the occasion Nowe therefore it is youre partes to doe the lyke â—or if ye léese hym thus it shall not be onely the losse of the most gentlest knyghte of all the worlde but of the best pacient that ye haue and furthermore all ye paraduenture may be blamed Therefore my Lordes I praye you for the loue of God to do vnto him the duety of a brother of a friende and of a companion beginning agayne to séeke him without sparing of your bodies or the prolonging of tyme. Defyance made by a straunge knyghte vnto king Lisuard prouoking hym to warre if he wyll not accord to the mariage of Oriane with the prince of Basiganâ— In the .2 booke the .12 Chapter I Defye thée king Lisuard and all thy aliens in the name of the puissant and mightie princes Famongomad Giant of the burning lake Cartadaque his neuew Giant of the defended mountayne Madafabull hys brother in lawe Giant of the redde tower Lord Quedragant brother to Abies that was king of Irelande and of Arcalaus the inchanter the whyche doe sende thée worde by me that they haue sworne the death of thée and thyne And to do thys they wyll ayde king Cildadan to be in the number of the hundreth knightes the whiche shall surely destroy thée Yet neuerthelesse if thou wilt giue Oriane thy inheriter to fayre Madasime the daughter of the most douty Famongomad to serue hir as hir Damsell they will suffer thée to liue in peace and be thy friendes â—or they will marrie hir to thâ— Prince Basiganâ— the which doth well deserue to be Lorde of thy countreys and of thy daughter also Therefore king Lisuard chose of these two coÌ„ditions the best peace as I haue deuised or the most cruel warre that may chance vnto thée hauing to do with so mighty and so doutye princes The answer to the strange knight by king Lisuard shewing the greatnesse of his courage In the .2 booke the .12 Chapter BY God knight they
pleasure And as touching your father I know long since what should happen vnto him but yet I could not remediâ— it for it was so ordeined by the prescience and for knowledge of God the which shall suffer him with the time to returnâ— to his countrey as well content as euer he was The coÌ„plaint of Matroco vpon the body of Arcalaus his vncle whom Esplandian had slayne In the .5 boke the .5 Chapter ALas Arcalaus my good vnâ—le how hard is the losse of you to me in what place soeuer it should haue chaunced and by a more stronger reason in this my castel wher I thought to make you good chéere and long Alas aftâ—r ye had past the floure of your age and so many daungerous chaunces and infinite perilles should it come and chaunce you vpon the end of your old yeares to receiue such a death in my house the which I estéemed a sure place not only for you and me but for all my parents and friends What vengeance maye I take at any time of this traytor that so greatly hath offended me seing that if I shoulde put him to death a hundred times vpon a day yet it is lesse than nothing in respect of the euill that he hath wrought me At least wayes if it had bin Amadis of Fraunce so renoumed among men or one of hys two brothers or else al thrée togither my dolour might somwhat haue swaged for the euill that I shoulde haue caused them to suffer But what I must néedes eueÌ„ by reason fight with one and seing the force that he continually hath done he should already estéeme himselfe ouercomde What glory should I then obtaine of his victorie Certesse euen suche as if I had beaten or ouercomde a simple woman féeble as â—he is of nature And so he vnworthy of my presence shall if it chance that I make but a countenaÌ„ce only â—o outrage him increase in glory Yet chaunce what chaunce may to my honor or otherwise he must néedes die The Oration of Esplandian to his people being in the mountayne defended fighting agaynste king Armato to encourage them to fyght strongly considering that it is for the glory and libertie of a christian name In the .5 booke the 26. Chapter MY friends we be not at this present entred into the aduentures of England where men fight more for fantasie or vayneglory than vpon any iust occasion but this war that we make against the enimies of our fayth doth call vs not only to do our duetie but to defend the honour and libertie of a christian name And therefore I pray you my companions that euery one of vs do purpose to cast feare behinde and to prefer vertue and manhood aboue all inconueniences that may chance vnto vs assuring you if we so do that before it be day king Armato and his armie shall well féele that we be not so sleepâ—e as they thinke The Oration of king Lisuard to his vassales and friendes shewing the goodnesse and pleasures that he hath receiued of Amadis and for this reason and cause he gyueth vp vnto him his crowne and his Scepter and the right of his realme and that they for this cause should be his faithfull and true vassales In the .5 booke the .28 Chapter MY good vassals and frieÌ„ds first and or euer I make you vnderstande perceiue why wherfore I haue coÌ„manded you to come togither I wil shew you part of the dangers fortunes wherein I haue bin since the death of my brother king Falanges and since it hath pleased the Lord to call me to the gouernemente and rule of you and of this realme in thâ— whiche as I thinke there are yet many liuing that can remember the danger into the whiche â—oth I and my countries as we thought shoulde haue fallen when that by the meanes and subtiltie of Arcalaus the enchanter I was put in the power of those that long before had conspired my death of the which my sonne Amadia hath deliuered me And neuerthelesse awhyle after by euil counsel I made sore war against him the whiche being raysed as euery man dothe know fortune enuying my rest prepared after that suche a banket for me that without him being king Arauignes prisoner I had bin lost for euer And this yet hathe assonyed me more for when I esteemed me certenly out of all suche misfortunes a worse than the other chanced me the whiche I thought well considering the place I was brought vnto to be the consumination of my troubles and of my life togythâ—r But yet the Lord loking with pitie vpon me sent my little sonne Eâ—plandian into my heauy prison from whence as ye all might haue bin aduertised he deliuered me Nowe ye see that I am old and all white being already threscorâ— and ten yeares of age the which thing causeth me to thinke that from henceforth it is time and season to forget worldly things and to retourne to God that hath bound me so greatly vnto him And for this cause I am purposed from henceforth to leaue Amadis my sonne to be your king vnto whome euen now I giue ouer my crowne my Scepter and the right that I haue in thys realme praying you all as much as I may possible that from this time foorth ye be vnto him faithfull and obedient as ye haue bin to me And although he be maried to my daughter if I knew hym vnworthy to rule you beléeue me my friends I would sooner haue chosen one to succeede me that had bin lesse vnto me than he is but theâ— is none of you that knoweth not his merites and the lyne that he descendeth of the which may this day name himselfe one of the most noblest and most fortunate of all the world as descending of the Troyans whose memorie shall neuer peâ—ish he is a kings sonne the inheriter of the kingdome of France and at this present your Priâ—â—â— and Lord I leaue you him with my daughter your Quéene and lawfull princesse retayning to my selfe no other thing but the only castle of Mirefleur where that the Quéene and I by Gods help shal finish our days religiously seruing our God as we be bound The Oration of Cormellie to Esplandian the which was sore astonyed of the thing that Leonorine sent him word of aduising him not to take in euill part the answer that Leonorine had sent his father and that the dissimulation of the loue of Ladies ought not to be takeÌ„ as a refusing in asmuch as it signifieth most often perfyte and entire amitie In the 5. booke the .33 Chapter HOw now my Lorde be ye astonied of so little by my â—oule now I know well that the affections and loue of men do greatly differ from the passions that we simple women indure when we fal into this extremitie and know you wherein ye men do coÌ„monly take pleasure to open the thing that ye loue be it by word or by countenance and oftentimes ye fayne moreouer that there
Trebisond Amadis king of France and of England and Calafie the Lord ruler of the Iles of Californie wher gold and very precious stones do grow in greate abundaunce aunswering in lyke manner to the thrée letters that you Armato king of Persiâ— Griâ—ilant Prince of the I le Sauuagine and Pintiquinestra the Lady of the people without heads haue sent vs certifying you that our iourney into these borders of the East hath bin for the defence and increasemeÌ„t of the law of Iesu Christ in whome we beleeue and also to destroy those the whiche are against him Thus after we had receiued your letters we haue bin content to agrée to the combat that ye demaunded with such weapons as ye shall choose for as concerning the campe we meane and purpose that it shall be before thys great Citie trusting that our only God in whose hand are the victories shal giue vs it ouer you to the confusion of your Idolles and greate domage and dishonor of your persons And for asmuch as this damsell hath charge and power by vs to tarrie to rest with you as for the ouerplus we haue remitted it to hir Thuâ— much there is that we sweare vnto you and do promise in the fayth and word of a king that for â—he time of the combat none of our camp shall moue to do you any iniurie or hurt prouiding that ye do the like on your side whereof we will haue assurance and promis by oth as reason doth require Amadis Oration to his men vpon the refusing of the peace demaunded of the Paganes exhorting them to fight strongly In the .6 booke the .26 Chapter SYrs it is certain that this cursed and reproued people are descended into these marches more to offend our religioÌ„ and the fayth of Iesu Christ than the countrey of Greece or the people of Constantinople and for this cause I thinke it best seing that fortune hath borne vs so good a face at the beginning that we should not put hir far from vs but by the aide of God to do so much as to driue those knaues vnto the welles and fountaâ—â—es of Tartarie and furthermore not to graunte them any apointment or truces as â—hey demaund for if ye hearken vnto them ye shal certenly not only giue them leysure to assure themselues but leauing off they shall recouer new force and strength setting as much by vs as by bathed hennes or villanes without shame and full of cowardnesse And this I would greatly allow that we without dissimulation should go and visit them euen at their owne câ—bbans And if ye woulde alleage vnto me that they are a greater number than we be there is an answer that the most parte of them are sicke in anguish and destroied through famine and hunger and moreouer we fight for the fayth of Iesu Christ in whose hands are the victories that which doth assure me that he will be with vs and that we should not doubt The letter of the infant Onoloria to the knight Lisuard taxing him of dissimulation and of fancie In the .6 booke the .30 Chapter SEing that your vnfaithfulnesse the most ingrateful man that is among the liuing is now so manifest as coÌ„cerning me that no excuse be it neuer so well cloaked can couer the fault of your hart I forbid you from hencefoorth vpon the payne of youre life to be in no parte where I may sée you or once to haue any newes of you for why it was not for me the which am of such a house as men know and to whom ye should haue come to vse dissimulation vnder the coloure of seruice the whiche thing doth cause me greatly to maruell that ye were so folish and hardie to tell me the thing that ye told me before ye departed from this towne and to send me word of that that ye charged Alquise last of all to shew me of your parte Proue therefore from hencefoorth to deceiue the simple damsells not extending thus your nettes to abuse great ladies the which resemble me and complayne them of you hauing a good meane and occasion to cause you to be put to death were it not that by the death of so vnfortunate and so miserable a person as ye are your lightnesse might be discouered and my honor had and put in doubt A letter of Sulpicie king of the Sauuagine to Amadis king of England offering him the combat vnder the conditions employed by the foresayd letter In the .6 booke the .51 Chapter SVlpicie king of the Sauuagine by the death of our vncle Grisilant of good memorie whome our Gods do intreate wyth Ambrose and Nectar Garfant and Bostrosse our vâ—ry déere and welbeloued brothers wil thée Amadis king of Englande to witte that we hauing the Gods of forces and meanes to reuenge as well the death of our foresaid vncle as the vsurpation that thou hast made vs for the Castle of Roch wher thou hast left one to gouerne named Sarquilâ—s the whiche since thy departure hathe gathered togither a greate number of Christians that are entred into our countrey wherof haue ensued many and infinit murders and yet may chance hereafter But to resist and to auoyde this we haue thought to presente vnto thée the combat of vs thrée againste thrée of thine vpon this condition that if we be victors thou shalte reuoke Sarquiles restoring our Castle into our hands and al that hath bin since vsurped and if we be ouerthrowen the rest of our countrey shall also remayne vnder thy obeysance and we shall leaue it vnto thée franke and frée neuer more to quarell for it the which thing we woulde not put vnder fortune so variable were it not for the good right that we haue and the wrong that thou dost vnto vs And to the intent thou shouldest not go back from so reasonable things we sweare vnto thée and promis in the word and fayth of a king not to fayle in one poynt and furthermore to giue thée suretie vnto all and against all except vs thrée if thou wilt come or send hitherâ—f no we shall apoint vs to go vnto thée or to some other place that thou shalte deuise prouiding also that thou vse vnto vs like faithfulnesse as we present vnto thée A braue answer of Mirammolin to Brian of Moniastes herauld In the .6 booke the .59 Chapter HErauld returne to thy master tell him that I haue not trauerst the seas so much nor taken in hand the conquest of Spayne to retire and draw my selfe backe with threatnings when I was but a litle one they made me aferd with Woolues but now that I am a king commaunding men I feare not the threatnings of those that I trust to ouercome and shall haue at my discretion and commaundement before it be night A letter from VrgaÌ„d of Cognue to the knight of the burning sword foretelling the thing that shall chance vnto him the which is a certayne affliction scantly able to be borne In the .7 booke and
that haue giuen you suche commission knowe me very ill for I haue all the dayes of my lyfe more estéemed ieopardous warres than shamefull prayse In somuch that I should be greatly reprehensible towards God the Creator that hath appoynted and made me king ouer so many people if for lacke of hart and courage I should suffer them to be outrageous Therefore ye shall returne and shew them that I had rather haue warre all my life the which they demaund and desire and at the last to die sighting and in battell than after their word and minde to haue peace that which should be so greatly to my disaduantage And bicause I desire to know at length their will and mind I wil send one of my knights the which shal go with you cause them at length to vnderstand my mind intention Florestan defyeth Laudin the which spake sore agaynst Amadis aduantage for whose loue he presented him the combat In the second Booke the .12 Chapter KNight I am not borne in this countrey nor the kings vassall so that for any thing that ye haue said vnto him I haue none occasion to answerâ— in asmuch as here are present many â—etter knights than I am aboue whome I wolde take nothing in hand Yet for asmuch as I cannot find Amadis whiche is as I estéeme very profitable vnto you I am ready to fyght with you and to cease and ende the quarell that ye haue vnto him and to the intent ye may knowe me the better I am his brother Florestan the whiche doth offer to fyght with you vnder this condition and conuention that if I may ouercome you ye shall be bounde to leaue off the quarel that ye haue against him and if ye ouercome me reueÌ„ge vpon me part of your choler and anger But yet thus much there is that ye ought not to fynde the dutie strange whervnto I submit me for I haue no lesse occasion to sustain the quarell against you he being absent than ye haue to mainetaine King Abies whose nephew ye are being full sure that it is in the power of my Lord Amadis to reuenge me if fortune doe suffer you to haue the aduantage ouer me Laudins answere to the Lord Florestan the which in time conuenient doth accept the combate In the seconde booke the 12. Chapter MY Lord Florestan que Laudin as far as I sée and perceiue you haue an enuy and a desire to fight but I can not satisfie you not hauing any power in me to do that wherevnto I am sent by other Also I haue promised my Lordes that called me to their companie before my departing not to take any thing vpon me that might let me to assist and to do my dutie before the battell and therfore you shall at this present time haue me excused till the battell be ended for then I promise you to take vpon me the combate and fight that you demaund and soner I can not tend vnto it Vrgandes Letter to King Lisuard where he forspeaketh the ruine of faire Tenebreus In the second boke the .15 Chapter TO you Lisuard King of England salutatioÌ„ gréeting méet for your Maiestie I Vrgand of Cogneue your humble seruant doe giue you knowledge that the battell appoynted betwéene you and King Cildadan shall be one of the moste cruell and daungerous that euer man shall sée in the which the faire Tenebreus that onely hath giuen you so great hope shal lose his name and through one stroke that he shal giue al his noble acts shal be forgotten you euen then shal be in greater enmitie than euer you found your self in For many good Knightes shall lose their liues and you your selfe shall fall into that danger euen at that instant when the faire Tenebreus shall drawe the bloude out of your belly and yet at the last for thrée strokes the which he shall giue them of his part they shall remayne victors And be ye sure Syr that all this doubtlesse shall chaunce therefore prouidâ— wisely for your affayres Vrgands Letter to my Lord Galaor of Fraunce foretelling him his yll fortune In the .2 booke the .15 Chapter TO you Lord Galaor of Fraunce wise and hardie Knight I Vrgand of Congue do salute you as he that loueth you and esteemeth you and would that you shoulde vnderstande the thing that shall chaunce and happen vnto you in the cruâ—ell battell betweene the Kings Lisuard and Cildadan Be sure therefore that about the ende of it if you be there your strong and boystuous members shall deceiue your inuincible heart and at the departing of the battell youre head shall be in the power of him that through the thrée strokes whiche he shall giue shall remaine victor A Letter of Arban of Norgalles and Angrioâ— of Estrauaux to King Lisuard causing him to vnderstande the great paines that they suffered In the .2 booke .15 Chapter TO the most highe and mightie Prince Lisuard King of Englande and to all our friendes and alies being in his Realme we Arban of Norgalles and Angriote de Estreuens detained and being in dolorous prison at this present signifie vnto you that our misfortune more cruell than death it selfe hath set vs in the power of the vnpitifull Gromadace the wife of Famongomad the which reuenging hir husbandes and hir sonnes death doth afflict vs with so many strange tormentes that it is impossible to thinke vpon them and in such sort that from houre to houre we desire the ende of oure liues to be at rest But this mischieuous woman to cause vs the longer while to suffer doth prolong so much as she maye our death the which with our owne handes we would haue prepared but for feare of the loue of our soules And for as muche as we at this preâ—ent are so sore wounded that it is impossible we may resist any longer we sende you this Letter written with oure owne bloude by the which we beséech God to giue you the victorie against these traytors that haue thus outrageously handled vs and to haue pitie vpon oure soules The Oration of Kyng Lisuard to those of hys hoste exhorting them to fyght strongly In the .2 booke the .16 chapter MY companions and great friendes I beleeue that there is not he of you al that doth not sufficiently vnderstand howe we haue enterprised this battell with good right and also to defende the honor and reputation of Englande the which King Cildadan and they of Irelande would deminish denying vs the tribute the which at al times they haue payd to our prodecessors recognising the benefites which they haue receyued of them in times past I knowe well that there is not one of you all that hath not an entiere heart and a bold and therefore it is no néede further to encourage you against those that you haue to do withall hauing your honor before your eyes the which you estéem more than a hundreth lines if it were possible to haue them one after an other
.19 Chapter VRgand of Cognue gréeteth thée knighte of the burning sword know thou that to retire to another place out of prison thou or euer it belong shalt enter into a more and a greater captiuitie where neuer slaue was put and thy soule and body shal be so afflicted that this same sword the whych hath oftentimes saued the place that thou art issued of shall thorough pierce thy body and within a while it shall bée pluct out by his hands that thinking to saue himselfe shall restore thée a life worsse than a thousand deathes togyther thys martirdome shal endure vnto the time that thy fathers house being at a point to fall downe be holpen and saued by his first possessioner and beléeue me for it shall so come to passe as I haue foretold thee And to the intent thou mayest credit it vnderstand that to saue thée froÌ„ one misâ—ortune into the which thou shouldest fall this day fighting with the knight of Quay I gaue thée a white shâ—eld and did aske thée the gifte that afterwardes thou didst graunt me and didst kéepe it whereof thou shouldest thanke me bycause that without my prouidence thou shouldest haue falne into a repentance as long as thou hadst liued as by the time thou shalt know better and rather trauell not thy selfe to thinke to knowe nothing for that should be but lost payne and labour as wel as to search it of me let it suffise thée that I know thée better than thou knowest thy selfe and for the hope of a help and succoure that I trust once to haue of thée I did beare and shew thée such fauor Go on with the residue of thy enterprise without delay of any occasion that should present it self perceiuing that it is the will of him whose man thou shalt be in time to come Zirfee being praysed by the knight of the burning sword doth answer that he did but his dutie seing that the propertie of noble men is to do noble actes In the .7 booke the .30 Chapter IN good fayth sir knight ye giue me great prayses for the thing that hath not deserued it and the which I coulde not but do without leauing off thrée principall points the which all required of mine estate whereof the first is to knowe in time of aduersitie the pleasure that we haue receyued of our enimie causing euery man to know that he whome a man may graciously recompeÌ„ce in season hath also a meane and a way to reuenge iniuries suffered during his misfortune The second doth shew it selfe in all ciuill season and of pitie after as the case doth offer it selfe And for the thirde not to trouble the minde at no time for the noyances and troubles that chance but that reason and discretion may continually haue dominion and rule And these three poynts are notoriously necessary to all noble men continually to maynteine â—irmâ—ly and vnmouably their high and great estate for vertue that dothe not perishe causeth a man to be muche more noble and exalted than all the corruptible goodes of fortune and subiect to hir passions and mobilitie seing also that often times and too much they are giuen to suche as neuer deserue them But it goeth farre otherwise with vertue for he alone doth obtaine it that doth a déede worthie to haue it Also men by vertue onely ought to be estéemed and honored yea and reputed more ritcher thaÌ„ if they had all the ritches of the world bicause that the true ritches which perishe not are the renoume of the good and the noble actes of a vertues man. The Oration of Maudan to the King requiring his pardon for the treason that he had committed promisyng so doyng to obey him more than euer he dyd In the seuenth booke the 46. Chapter SYr ye may sée in me how that fortune doth play with such euill men as I am nor it was neuer séene but that one sinne draweth vnto him another and the second many moe in so much that at the last they blind men so well that thinking to goe the great way they fall into the dytch that they made whereout afterwards they cannot draw themselues The which doth nowe manifest it selfe in me that enuying the honour that ye dyd to the knight of the burning sworde found and inuented the thing that I tolde you of him and the Queene to driue him from your court to haue and to obtaine his place Well I was cause of that great euill and I know that I merite an excéeding great torment yet Syr I beséech you preferring pitie mercie aboue the rigour of your iustice that it wil please you to pardon me causing euery man therby to know that my sinne and fault is gréeuous and your clemencie and goodnesse very extreme and great the which shal turne to your great laude and praise I and mine remaining for euer bound to serue you more than any other of your subiectes in as much as ye shall pardon and forgyue me more than all other The Oration of Queene Baruca to the King of Saba hir husband praying him to receiue hir into his good grace and not to be no more so light to beleeue without hearing of bothe partes In the .7 booke the .46 Chapter MY Lord seyng this my innocencie is open and knowen I beseeche you to receiue me into your good grace as I was before and to remember another time not to beléeue so lightly without vsing your power vpon the accused or euer ye heare his iustificatioÌ„s considering how ye haue procéeded rigorously not onely against my chastitie but against my honor and the honor of the house that I come of The Oration of Magadan King of Saba to the knight Amadis of Fraunce excusing himselfe that he receiued him not as he deserued praying him not to take it in euill part In the 7. booke the .46 Chapter MY great friende if I had knowen you aswell yesterday as I do at this present I would haue borne and shewed you more honor but the griefe that I had of the euil words that were tolde me oâ— the Quéene caused me to forget all curtesie yea and my owne nature the which is to receiue all straungers that come to my court graciously So I pray you not to take this faulte in yll part but to excuse it and wyth this charge that from henceforth I will take payne and labour to amend it The Oration of the Duke of Buillon to those of his linage prouoking them to take vengeance for the death of his sonne and to recouer their honour so abused In the .7 booke the 48. Chapter MY masters my good friends and alies ye haue séene and knowen the dishonor that the Emperour our Prince hath purchased not only to me but to you all aswell in particular as in generall and in such a sort that hauing no regard to vs which are so great and mightie he as euery man doth know hath onely caused him most villaine to be taken that next vnto
answere to hir people declaring that wyth good hearte shee dothe pardon them of theyr offence vpon the hope of theyr amendment In the .8 booke the .31 Chapter MY friendes séeing ye haue taken this iourney ye shall finde me a gracious Princesse and as affable as Albernis was vnto you greuous and vneasie I know wel ynough that many of you were seduced and forced to make warre that manye a one also forgat themselues more than they shoulde haue done Yet that notwithstanding vpon the promise that ye haue made me and in the hope that I haue of your amendment I am readie to make you a generall pardon and to intreate you from henceforth as a good and a vertuous Quéene and Princesse ought to intreate and gouerne hir good and faithfull subiectes The Oration of Queene Liberna to the knight without rest causing him to vnderstande that she is so taken with hys loue that he hath all power vpon hir In the .8 booke the 31. Chapter I Promis you knight without rest that coÌ„sidering the great valiantnesse that is in you and the goodes that I haue recouered by your meanes and occasion only I am purposed to cause you to léese the name that ye beare and to giue you such might and power vpon me as a Lord and spouse may take vpon his wife and louer For I confesse that there was neuer princesse nor no other so taken with loue as I am towards you although that in a manner ye are vnknowen vnto me Abra the princesse of Babilons letter to Lisuard reproching hys great cowardnesse that he killed hir brother Zair whereby he hath shewed that he hath cleane forgotten the loue that she did beare him and that she therefore will sacrifice hir selfe to death for to celebrate the remembrance of hir foresaid brother In the .8 booke the .34 Chapter ABra princesse of Babilon seruant of the souerayne Goddes and enimie to those that are against them to thée ConstaÌ„tine and Prince Lisuart murtherer and rauisher of the spouse of the diuine lande of Babilon leauing and forsaking it by the death of the most noble Zair Orpheline of his royall cheualrie and made bare and spoyled of hir hope to recouer any more such another lord Tell me ingrate is this the reciproke loue wherewith thou wast bound to me giuing thée knowledge of the goodnesse that I desired and wished thée Is this the recognising of the election and choise that I made of thy person to be my Lord spouse Is this the fruite of my esperance and hope that thou didst then put me in wheÌ„ that in the presence of so many princes I required thée to voutsafe to take me to thy wife and perpetuall louer hauing thée so well printed in my heart that thou shouldst not depart from thence as loÌ„g as life shuld rest but shouldst be resident there to norish my desire the better that I haue to reueÌ„ge the death of my wel beloued brother But alas who would euer haue thought that the fearefull sea shuld haue bin consecrate with his body and sepulture Certesse I beléeue that the sea is ignoraÌ„t that she hath him drowned in the depnesse of hir waters For if she had knowen it it is very like that the waters would already haue triumphed yea in communication with the soueraigne heauens holding themselues honored to enioy his bloud and diuine body And if the sea be not yet aduised nor the earth as yet hath not perceiued it it woulde not haue delayed hir complaintes and dolours so long from the soueraigne Gods to haue and to recouer hir spouse and hir iust possessor agayne that hath bin vsurped from hir domination and put into so contrary an element whereof peraduenture may chance in time to come continuall warre betwene hir roundnesse the depenesse of the abismes each of them pretending the reioycing and gard of his prince and magnificent dominator and ruler But if these two do complayne the fire and his element will not holde their peace but shall complayne them for euer through the regard and consideratioÌ„ of the sacrifices that the gods hoped for if he had dyed and deceased vpon the earth The ayre then is alone that doth enioy the thing that thâ—u dost possesse that is the assurance of the death of Zair Also he was present and occupied in the conflict betwene the infernall furies the whiche during the battell vomited out brimston and filthy stinches by the mouth of an infinite sort of canons and other artillerie But alas alas what vengeance shall be done for him for whome the ayre the â—arth and the fire shal at somtimes féele his absence and the déepe waters glory for the possession of his body yea and other truly than it at thy death at the end I say of my life seing me thus depriued of my Lord brother At the end I say of my life bycause that cruell loue will not suffer the vengeance vpon thée but that I must sacrifice my selfe to adorne thy death that shall make myne very happy and fortunate So shall thy funeralles be entirely celebrated by the death of Zair and of me to the end that fortune make them egall at the victorie the which she would haue graunted thée not only in thy life against knights and beasts most cruell but in the death that she shall procure thée that as long as she shall liue defieth thée the which shall be no longer than thou shalte be resident in the worlde that by such and so straunge crueltie the desire of my vengeaunce may be executed A letter of Zahara Queene of the mount Caucasus to Lisuard contayning that she is come to Babilon to marrie Zair but finding that Lisuard had slayne him she defyeth him In the .8 booke the .35 Chapter ZAhara Quéene of the mount Caucasus Lady of all Hiberia victor else of great prouinces of the Saâ—â—ates Corces Hircanie and Massagetes to thée Lisuard the Infant of two soueraine Empyres of Greece and Trebisond gréeting Know thou that the renoume of the stoute Soudan Zair hath caused me to come from my countrey that is farre hence into this greate Citie of Babilon trusting to haue giuen him the possession of my selfe and of my kingdomes togither my immortall glory continuing vpon his name But after that I knew that fortune whiche sometimes was his friend had suffered hys bloud to be shed leauing me by this meanes and for euer without a husbande that there shoulde remayne no other that myghte come vnto the merite of my highnesse béeing suche a princesse as I am and indued with the beautie that the Goddes haue gyuen me by whose aduise the mariage of vs twayne had bene consummated if misfortune as it hathe done hadde not sayde agaynste vs but whatsoeuer impediment or let that vnkind fortune hath done to my destinie yet it cannot hide nor quench the glory of Zair his death being reuenged by thine And to come thervnto I defye thée as touching thy person
not bound to giue or demaunde more thaÌ„ is possible for the possibilitie failing the obligation and promise taketh no place Abra required me to marie hir and I was bound already so that it was not in my power As concerning the death of hir brother whereof she is so heavie by God and bicause Zair went aboute and did treason and that that was naughte the whiche he inuented against my Lorde the Emperour the Empresse my ladies their children and other she hath more reason and cause to complaine hir of hys honor than of the chastisement that he as it is to be presumed receiued by the diuine iudgement of god And yet I wyll well confesse that for the loue of hir I desire that he were yet aliue but seing that his daies fighting like a good knight are at an end and that she hath receiued the crowne and Empire of Babilon as a sage a vertuous Princesse as she is I thinke that she shoulde forget hir teares and quarrels and to take reason for payment without desiring thus my head to sacrifice it to the vnrighteousness of hir brother And to the verifying of the same I will take paine sauing my selfe to haue yours at such mercie as ye â—e desire mine And to doe this I accepte the defiance and the fielde by you presented The armes are these accustomed among knightes of honor shield speare the day seuen night for your solace for I suppose that ye are sore trauailed bicause of the long iourney that ye haue made The iust and the right God be the kéeper both of the honor and right of him of vs two vnto whome it pertaineth Zahera the Queene of Cauease doth submit hir selfe to doe hir honour saued the wil of Lisuard after the conditions of the combat in the whiche she as she saithe was ouercome In the .8 booke the .49 Chapter THe truth is nor I will not denie it but that by the comnant that we made on the day that we fought together he that of vs two should léese his armour shoulde remaine as ouercome and be bounde to doe the will of the victor All you my Lordes doe knowe what chaunced And althoughe that fortune hath done so little for me as to take from me that was in hir handes to giue it you yet for all that I will not denie you the rest of that that I doe doe owe you for doing the thing otherwise the stroke at the entry might be attributed to such a fortune that it shuld redounde to my greater disaduantage not fulfilling my promise to him vnto whom I owe it Also the gods will not suffer it but rather send death vnto me For notwithstanding I am but a woman yet I knowe certainely that neither corde nor naile can so constraine or close the thing that they will fasten it vnto to holde it stedfast as faith doth staightly hold a gentle spirit with his line or corde indissoluble And for this cause as I haue learned the olde and auncient painters did paint hir with a white lynnen clothe declaring thereby the purenesse which may not nor oughte not to be defyled with anye spotte or perill be it neuer so straunge and daungerous And this is the reason whereby I submit me wholy to your will purposing to obey you so far yet as my estate and honour shall permit and suffer it Now therfore aduise you what it pleaseth you that I shall doe Lisuard doth answere Zahara that she ouercame hir selfe and dothe set hir agayne in hir libertie and for all recompence hâ— requireth hir amitie In the eyghte booke the .49 Chapter MAdame quoth Lisuard â— I thinke there is no princesse nor no other that hath wel considered our combat that doth not estéeme the victory that ye giue me to procéede of youre owne voluntarie will and not of my force and strength For as I haue oftentimes told you it was you your selfe that ouercame you and not I. And so this glory that ye attribute vnto me doth retourne to you and it is reason that it be associated with your good and entier libertie without any order apointed by me otherwise than it shall please you Ye haue it then and enioy it as before requiring of you no other recompence for the seruice and goodnesse that I desire and wish you but that we may continue friends assuring you madame that of my part I as concerning you as long as I liue shall be no nother what euil or displeasure so euer it be that ye haue purchased and sought for me Esclariana the Empresse of Rome comming to king Amadis doth shew him in few words how that Florestan deliuered hir out of the hands of the Pyrats and in recompence thereof she demaundeth him to hir husband and spouse In the 8. booke the .52 Chapter I Beléeue that few of you most excelleÌ„t princes be ignoraÌ„t of the cruell death of the Emperoure of Rome Arquisill and of his sonne the Prince of Inerpie by the occasion wherof the emperiall crowne by the right of successioÌ„ perteineth to me And yet that notwithstanding fortune not being coÌ„tent with the iniurie inhumanitie committed by those that touch me very nigh assaied after that to giue me yet another charge very euil to disgest That was that the Empresse my déere dolorous mother beléeuing to saue me from the tyrants the vsurpers of my goodes brought me by sea into a place where that not only I and she fell almost into the perill of léesing our liues but of our honor it selfe with the greatest shame that euer chaunced to any poore lady or vnfortunate damsel The which I had neuer auoyded without the good succâ—oure and aide of Florestan here present the whiche hath done so much for me as to haue saued me and brought me agayne vnto your hands my Lord whom I pray you most humbly I may find good agreable if so be I haue chosen him for my Lorde and husband for it is reason séeing that he hath taken the care and payne and with such honest and frendly amitie for me that he haue the enioying of my goods and of that that dependeth thereof Amadis doth answer Esclariane and doth accord to hir demaÌ„d In the .8 booke the .52 Chapter IN good fayth my niece quoth king Amadis Florestan my nephewe is the sonne of a good father and he himselfe a knight of so great merit that ye could not appointe you in no place better And I greatly thanke you that ye loue him and him also that he hath shewed him selfe so curteous and so ready to serue you as he hath done Ye require him of me for your husband I agrée vnto your request pray you both that it may be done euen now without any further delay Amadis of Greece taketh paine to perswade Abra that she shuld take in good part the thing that the Gods do send hir and to hope for better in time to come Afterwardes he prayeth hir to
the King of Crete for he thinking to reuenge the death of Sulpice and his brethren the whiche Lisuarde Pirion and Olorius put to death hath lost his owne And he was the first that this inuincible Quéene destroyed with the stroke of an arrow But he with too little consideration began to reuenge the iniurie that he promised him was done by whome I spake vnto you without finding of any proper occasion after hys owne mind vntil one day among other knowing me to be craftie malicious as I am he declared vnto me what he thought praying me on my part to giue him couÌ„sell The which thing I promised him to do and when I was aduertised of the great assemble and méeting that they made here I purposed my enterprise such as ye shall vnderstande This it was that I couÌ„selled him to sende me towards you with feyned swordes and so forged that they shoulde breake euen at the first stroke that they should be occupied And bicause I would forget nothing I led these two dwarfes with me so wel appoynted that they should assay the speares of the two knightes that which I should deliuer them at the tilte and to leaue them assoone as they should sée them redie to enter in as they could do ful wel The thréed whereof I spake vnto you was the ambush where my king was present with his brother ten other knights that incoÌ„tinent should assaile my pigeons I cal them my pigeons whom I purpose to take and deceyue vnder the shadow of pitie the which I diâ—guised vnto them in your presence so that all the purpose that I spake vnto you of yesterday was false and only inuented and found to take either king Amadis the Emperor Esplandian or some other of their linage as it shuld happely haue come to passe if that fortune or to speak better the soueraine Gods had not willed the contrarie For the king of Crete willing to make sure his enterprise had brought with him aboue a thousand chosen knights the which I cannot tell by what Amazones were hewed in péeces of whoÌ„ they doubted but little Nor they would neuer haue cared for it if it had not béene for the report that was brought them by his spâ—es the which the king had ordinarily in this towne But what is become of them I cannot say but I will say vnto you that if our purpose had taken place the will of the king was such that he woulde haue caused two knightes the which I had brought from hence to haue past ouer the sea to assay proue to haue woonne through their puisance the Castell of Rocke and Lica not long ago vsurped vpon king Muton his brother and then to haue cut off their heades and haue sent them vnto you As touching the rest of the fortune ye knowe it as well as Iâ— therefore I will holde my peace praying you if ye enuie to preferre mercie aboue my faulte to giue mée the shortest and readiest death that ye may possible the whiche shall well content me séeing that my Lorde and Prince is departed and dead Abra complayning hir selfe of the enmities and wrongs of Cupido In the .8 booke the .57 Chapter AH ah sir they that haue not experimented your forces and power do thinke them as I beleeue farre other than they â—e I pray you most humbly either to take from henceforth a name conformable to your workes or the déedes like vnto your name For why as concerning my selfe I haue more cause to name you the God of enmitie and of misknowledge than that that ye apply appropriate to your selfe Also the other Gods haue had as me thinketh great wrong to suffer you to haue some iurisdiction and power to vse it so as ye continue séeing that the propertie of a God is goodnesse iustice mansuetude pitie liberalitie and amitie wherewith he recompenseth his seruantes and ye your ministers cleane contrarie And seing it is so how can ye excuse you or cause any reasonable persoÌ„ to find your vniustice cruelnesse good that ye haue vsed against my brother or with what armes can ye honor and adorne your triumph that a C. times in a day hath giuen me death not to haue power and to be able to die But alas what doe I say to whom doe I speake or why will I thus contestate or enter into reason with him that hath none Cerâ—es neither your eyes nor you were neuer bounde but to excuse your fault vpon the blindnesse that is in you attributing to you vpon this occasion such iustice or to saye better suche pleasure as is agréeable and pleasant vnto you Lucelle doth grieuously complaine of Amadis of Greece that forsaketh hir without offending him in the .8 Booke the 63. Chapter ALas was there euer Damâ—ell more vnfortunate than I am or that hath a greater occasion to complaine hir hauing a feyned louer set in the place of perfite amitie within a while to forsake me and mocke me But alas where is now this promise so oftentymes sworne and those feigned teares that you Amadis to intrappe me hath so oftentymes shed vpon your face in my presence Ah ah ye euill man one day ye reputed me for a Venus that rested as ye assured me in your heart but now the poyson being manifest I sée clearely that she is the Venus that ye auauanâ—ed you of The which thing shall cause me as long as you shall liue to estéeme you slouthfull and vnfortunate to haue taken so great paine and pleasure to deceyue me Therefore all thing truely and well considered ye should as me thinketh haue a respect that I being the daughter as I am of so great a king deserued to be otherwayes entreated of you and not with such mockes as ye haue drest me withall But I vnderstand full well that as yet ye will take a glorie whereof I shall complaine me for euer of you and of the loue which I nowe abhorre more than euer I had it in reuerence For as there is no pleasure that can bée made equall with the perfite amitie of two louers so there is no hatred or impacience that can more trouble the spirit than iust iealousie without whiche all other martyrdome that mingleth it selfe with the swéetenesse of loue is not as mée thinketh but a multiplication of loue and a true inticement wherewith she vtterly destroyeth hir selfe An extréeme brought or thyrst causeth water to be the better accepted and long fasting giueth meate a better taste Also the goodnesse of peace and rest of the minde cannot be sounde nor estéemed of him that hath not experimented the strong cruell and hard warre that suspicion doth make The absence of a friende is sometimes well supported and borne withall for the hope of a newe ioy at his returne And one excuse one disdaine one refuse one euill looke one light miscontentation but after that hypocrisie and falsnesse is knowne to be in the heart that one estéemed faythfull it is
vpon the Giantes your cruell tyrants and rulers whose deathe and correction ye shoulde not estéeme to procéede from anye other than from the gods immortall wherof they will gyue you very swifte witnesse seing that two onely persons haue destroyed and brought to ruine suche and so fearefull mâ—nsters notwithstanding the situation of the very strong and inaccessible places the Gigantine forces and all their puissance and might both craftie and subtill Againe my deare and good friendes we counsell and admonishe you that ye giue no place to your affections so that the anger of God fâ—ll not vpon you if ye disobey the children of Mars sent hither to be soueraines and to set peace in your countrey As touching the rest ye shall come vnto vs to vnderstande the â—uerplus of our will. Arlande the Princesse of Thrace letter to Dom Florisel of Niquea praying him to come to see hir to vnderstande and to reuenge the wrong done by Amadis of Greece to Balarte his brother In the .9 booke the .14 Chapter ARlande Princesse of Thrace to the Knight of the shée shéepeheard gréeting The renoume of your excellent beautie and glorious actes of armes that runneth not only throughout all this countrey of Thrace but almoste throughout the world hath drawne me into so great admiration and desyre to know the truth that after I had consulted with our goâ—â— vpon these affaires and matters and that they answered 〈◊〉 after the common brute and rumour I was well willing to sende you this presente and to praye youre Lordshippe to come hither to vnderstande and to perceiue the wrong that the vnfaithfull and traitour Armadis of Greece did to my verie déere and onely brother Balarte Prince of Thrace by whose death the succession of this Realme after the decease of my heauie father shall pertaine to me yet with this charge to pursue and reuenge the death of my foresaide Lorde and brother Therfore if it please you to come hither to execute this reasonable vengeance I haue purposed and doe promise you in recompence of the duetie that ye shall doe to make you Lord and master of my selfe and of all that I possesse in this worlde aduertising you moreouer that the gods haue reuealed vnto me that ye onely are he to whom this great iustice and glorious vengeance is reserued Obeyng then the diuine prescieÌ„ce of the gods leaue off from henceforth to pursue the vengeance of a sort of euill iniuries and quarrels of Damsels of to base qualitie and come to take the possession and enioying of great goods and honors the which are prepared here for you thus doing ye shall content me and make me ioyfull She that desireth to remaine for euer in your good grace and remembrance Arlande The answere of Dom Florisel of Niquea to the letters of Arlande graciously refusing hir demaunde aswell bicause that Balarte was iustly slaine as that Amadis of Greece was his father In the .9 booke and the .14 Chapter DOm Florisel of Niquea the sonne of the right vertuous and stout Prince Amadis of Greece to Arlande the Princesse of Thrace salutatioÌ„s eueÌ„ such as hir excelleÌ„cy deserueth Madam I haue receiued the letters which it hath pleased you to send me by this your Damsell and reading them I knowe the great desire that ye haue to reuenge the deathe of Prince Balart your brother slaine as I haue vnderstanded most valiantly in the campe of the battell by the handes of my right déere father Amadis of Greece for a good and a iust quarrell a thing that should diuert and turne you to make any such suteâ— for the more that the cause of his death shall be published the more dishonor shal fall both vpon him vpon those that shal enforce themselues to reuenge him euerie man euidently knowing his vnrighteousnesse for the mischeuous turne that he purposed to doe vnto him that with all graciousnesse and good intreating receiued him into his house Therfore Madam finde it not strange at al if in this I satisfie not your desire not for the regarde of the honour and reuerence that I ought to haue naturally to him that hath begotten me but for as much as I should greatly offende God and my honour yea I should do against all reason to reuenge so vertuous an acte putting the case that another than my father had done it And I well assure you that who so euer woulde obey you in tâ—at he shall finde himself iustly smitten of God augmenting the shame and dishonour of him that deserueth to be buried in the darkenesse of obliuiousnesse As concerning the goods that ye promise me that is to make me possessour and to enioye your excellent beautie and all your possessions ye may vnderstande by these present letters that I vnder the condition that ye damaund haue a iust occasion to refuse theÌ„ neuerthelesse I thanke you as much as I caÌ„ possible for your good wil and affection that ye beare me in recompence wherof I promise you to employ me to be your seruaunt and to serue you in all that honour and vertue shall commaund me Thus much Madam praying the creator of al things vnto whom vengeance ought to be reserued to giue you his holy grace and after that I may be affectuously recommended â—o yours He that desireth you all goodnesse and encrease of honour the knight of the she shepherde A letter from Dom Florisell of Niquea to fair Helen princessâ— of Apolonia excusiâ—g himselfe of the boldnesse that he taketh to write vnto hir and to present hir his heart In thâ—â—â— booke the .33 Chapter MAdame if ye wil measure your highnesse and aduise you vpon the kingdome that ye possesse in respect of me that am but a wandring knighte and yet vnknowen vnto you I thinke well that ye would maruell of my temeritie and foolish boldnesse that durst write vnto you at this present but if ye would consider how great the force of loue is I am wel assured that your benignitie and sweetenesse shal excuse me and accuse this diuine beautie and good grace the which yesterday did so rauish me of my libertie that I had not the power nor the will neuer to loue or to serue any other but you For this cause I tooke boldnesse to pray you as humbly as I may possible to receiue my faithfull heart the whiche hathe left me to be wholly yours and doth suffer me to keepe and to name me your knight and very affectionate â—eruant the which shall little estéeme all his misfortunes that are past if ye would do him so great honor as that he might one of these dayes tell you by mouth that he feareth to write vnto you bicause of the little aquaintance that ye haue of him praying the creator and maker of all things the which hath mâ—ued you with so great beautie to giue you the increase of honor and felicitie You re most humble and obediente the knight of the she shepherde The princesâ—e of Apolonia doth
my truth this name of a shee shepherd is not vnconuenient nor vnâ—eete for you and I beleue that this was a certen foreknowledge that ye should one day conduct and leade this vertuous â—â—ocke that is to say all this people which are so obedient vnto you whose loue ye haue acquired and gotten not by the greatnesse of your linage but by your vertue onely of the which I thinke that there is noman that can beare more certen or truer witnesse thaÌ„ I bicause I haue accompanied you into the places where it was néede to shewe it whereof ye merite and deserue great honour but I will not rest nor tary vpon this for neither my spirite nor my hande are able to exalt nor to giue it the place that it deserueth Therfore leauing this charge to perfect Orators and true Chroniclers I wil at this time make an end nor I shall not sende you at this time other newes of auentures that haue chaunced me since that we were separated by the sea bicause I estéeme that your Darinell whiche went to séeke you assoone as I had deliuered him your letters may shew you them for he hath continually kepte me companie and as I hope I will be there shortly after I be hâ—aled of certain woundes which I tooke in a combat vpon my iourney of Apolonia wherof this your Gentleman the bearer of this may tell you the occasion and against whome In the meane season my Lady my Aunt I recommende me moste humbly to your good grace and to all your noble coÌ„panie specially to my Lady Princesse Alastraxeree whome I greatly desire to sée praying the eternall God to maintayne you in his grace and fauour Written in the kingdome of Apolonia by your moste humble and obedient seruant and Neuew Florisel of Niquea Astibel of Sciences letters to Arlande the Princesse of Thrâ—â—â— by the which shee sheweth hir the maner how to reuenge the death of hir brother and to enioy hir loue In the .9 Booke the .50 Chapter MAdame I haue bene very ioyfull to vnderstand the imprisonment that ye haue caused of the infant Alastraxeree and of the Prince Dom Florisel of Niquea trusting that your excellencie shall receyue by this meanes the â—ontentation of your spirite and minde and the vengeance of the death of my Lord Prince your brother but forasmuch as I haue founde by my arte Magike that king Amadis of France the Emperours of Constantinople and Tâ—ebisonde and other Princes and Princesses their fréedes alies are bewitched in the towre of Vniuerse and ought to be deliuered within this yéere for this cause I was well willing to aduertise you to prouide for all inconueniences that may chaunce and how â—ée might by this one meanes take vengeance of Dom Florisel of Niquea your prisoner of his Father and Mother and generally of all his nexte kinsefolkes that is to sende incontinently the infant Alastraxeree to the towre of Vniuerse to take héede that no person doe enter to sée the auenture and to finishe and make an ende of the inchantement and witchcraft knowing that it shall come well to passe seing the great valiantnesse force and magnanimitie that doth associate hir aboue all other of the earth And if shée kéepe the peace I that during assure you that then for all the rest of their liues shall continue bewitched nor Dom Florisel shall not departe from your prison if it be not your pleasure Thus yée shall not onely reuenge your selfe of those that yée desire but furthermore yee shall haue a meane and a commoditie to come to the possession of twoo Empires by the aliance that ye may make with him whome yée loue the whiche he shall willingly accept to be at libertie and out of your prisons Therefore Madame it shall please you spéedely to aduise you in asmuch as ye loue the repose and quietnesse of your minde the which shal be the way for me to pray him that is to mayntaine you in his fauour and grace recommending me most humbly to yours By your humble Astibel of Sciences Letters of the infant Alastraxeree to the Princesses Helen of Apolonia and Timbrie of Boetia declaring vnto them the cauteles wherewith she and Dom Florisel of Niquea abused Arlande the Princesse of Thrace In the .9 booke the 50. Chapter RIâ—ht excellent Princesses knowing in you the zele of perfect amitie the whiche yée beare to Dom Florisel of Niquea as euery one of you declared to me with hir owne mouth when ye tooke me for him nigh vnto the hermitage of Almond trées I woulde not â—ayle seyng the commoditie to certifie you of these newes Therefore my Ladies yée shall know vnderstand that he is well as coÌ„cerning the dispositioÌ„ of his body but I thinke that his spirit is somwhat troubled bicause he is fallen arested prisoner in the handes of Arlande princesse of Thrace the whiche was purposed to reuenge hir vpon him for the death of hir brother Balarte slaine in the close campe by Amadis of Greece his father and I beléeue that shée would haue put him by and by to death after he was are sâ—eâ— in the Castell of the Glasse of loue if he had not auised him to vsurpe my name say that he was Alastraxeree bicause that he and I are very like as ye know and so lyke that the knightes which toke him and beleuing his saying to be true brought him into the citie of Thrace where the King and the Princesse Arlande receyued him very humaynely for me and he hath playde his personage vnto this day so well in a womans garment wherewith the Princesse presented him that it is impossible to doe it better whereof I greaâ—ly thanke him Now it chaunced that I goyng to the Castell of the Blasse of loues was auertised by a straunge auenture of his good subtiltie whereof my Damselles will certifie you and afterwarde I as fortune would was arested euen as Dom Florisel was whose name I vsurped bicause he should not be discouered and for suche a one I was caried to Arlande into a house of pleasure where shée helde me fast and close dayly solicited me to loue hir vsing to mewards gestures and amorous countenances nother lesse nor more than if she had spoken to Florisell but I can so well entertayne hir and content hir with woordes that as I hope shée beyng more priny with me will set him shortly at libertie and when he shal be so I trust that he wil finde the meanes to set me likewise at libertie Thus my Ladies I shall present my recommendations to your good graces praying the great God to mayntayne you in his protection Your cousin good freende the diuine Alastraxeree the daughter of Mars Letters from Helen of Apolonia and from Timbre of Bâ—etia to the infant Alastraxeree with the whiche they laude and exalte hyr greatly bringyng to this purpose diuers olde examples In the .9 Booke the .53 Chapter MOst excellent Lady we haue perceyued by your
Then casting my sight on euery syde I saw a sworde hanging the which I tooke sodenly and the villaine came to me hauing a Partâ—ane in his hande wherewith he smote once at me the which leaping aside I auoyded and so that he perced me not but onely my veluet Casdâ—kâ— in two partes or else he had smitten me through the bodie Then I gaue him such a garter in the hamme and so right vpon the ioynt that by and by he fell downe in the place and cast out his armes to take me but I layd the sworde so betwene him and me that it perste him vnto the hiltes thorow the middle of his bellie Then through paine he stretched him and I that they which were beneath shoulde not perceyue it tooke a hatchet wherwith I cut his gorge as it had bene a great Oxe So I tooke the keyes and went to open the gate of the prison where I founde my Ladie trembling for the feare that shée had of the strife and debate that she heard betwéene Bocarel me the which embraced me kist men hundred times saying Alas Florarlan what shall become of thy life if the Duke vnderstand thy déede My minion God prserue thée and kepe thée to much more greater things Madame quoth I the thing that is done cannot be vndone but I sée the remedie that is to go to the Duke and to tell him that ye haue sent me worde by Bocarell to pray him to sende me to the king â—o requyre him of a certaine thing and that afterwardes yée will applie vnto his will. Thus I shall get out and escape Againe she â—ooke me about the neâ—ke smiling for my inuention Then I sayd vnto hir that there was no tarying there that I she beholding the thing being out of that place should haue businesse for hir deliuerance Ye muste she sayd goe to Constantinople and beare me a letter to Prince Florisell of Niquea but we haue not here wherewithall to make it It shall not let sayd I for that for I will go and take a Réed in Bocarels chamber and mingle it with the bloud of this ruffian with the which ye may write this present letter Incontinent I kist hir hands she blessing me and commending me to god I shut the doore tied the keyes againe to the Iaylers girdle bycause men should not perceyue that I had spoken with hir I went to the Duke the which did graunt me my demaund verie willingly and caused the gate to be opened vnto me a horse to be deliuered me vpon whom I haue done my businesse hitherto kéeping no way vntill I was farre from Thrace And I haue bestowed one lincke of my chaine for my expences and this habit the which I haue taken and made conformable and méete for the estate of my Ladie This is it my Lorde that I was charged withall to shewe you Arlande doth shew hir father the king of Thrace howe that the Princes of Grece haue forgiuâ—n hir and deliuered hir of the death that shee had of a long time purchased for them and for this cause she prayeth him to receyue them to his amitie In the .10 booke the .62 Chapter MY Lorde I haue for a time employed all my power to purchase the vengeance of my brother Balerte vpon those that slue him as euery man might haue perceyued afterwards my enimies met with me in such perill that without their succour I had lost mine honour or my life Who then should haue so inhumain a heart to procure his death â—y whoÌ„ he hath and holdeth his life seeing also that the accideâ—â— and chaunce of my brother doth not charge him with any treason or vnfaythfulnesse and is not to be imputed but to the ordinarie hazard chance of warre I being for this cause deliuered by you agaynst my will to Madasanill vnder the condition of vengeance vpon the Princes of Grece vnto whome I was in dâ—t for my deliuerance at leastwise they are quited concerning me for the recompence of good for euill they haue holpen me in the captiuitie that I was in and in such sort as ye doe sée notwithstanding the treason of the Duke as this noble bloud is alwayes in Gods protection Therefore I beseeche you my Lorde to consider my déede with reason pacifying your courage for my sake and making agréement with those whose aliance receyueth no coÌ„parison of that of Furio Cornelio As touching me I doe offer my selfe vnto you to dispose me after your owne will as Isaac did to his father Abraham And of them I ensure you ye shall not be hindered nor let in any poynt of your royall libertie Ye sée here the great king Amadis of France sée Florisel of Niquea whose father saued my life vpon the sea there is the Prince Phalanges of Astre and the valiant Alastraxeree the whiche although they haue you in their handes desire but your amitie The Queene Sidonia dothe wryte to Morasiel the whiche will giue hir daughter of whome he had left hir greate in mariage to him that will bring hir his head to be reuenged by his death of the wrong that he haâ—h done hir deceyuing hir vnder the colour of mariage In the 10. booke the .65 Chapter SIdonia Quéene of the I le of Guinday founder of glorious lawes to hir owne shame to thée fayned Moraisel shée sendeth this salutation to depriue thée the better I hauing presented to thée mine owne person and royal lordship folowing the rigorousnesse of my ordinances thou haste fraudulently accepted it notwithstanding thy incapacitie kéeping the one parte of the edicte and lawe and violating the other And hauing thus vniustly vsurped the honour of my royall bedde haste lefte me in long heauinesse for thy absence without at any time afterwardes aduertising me of the abuse that thou haste brued me but of the new bedde that thou hast practised what excuse can ye forge or inuent but to haue willed to by againe the life of the gentle Prince Phalanges of Astre Ah ah amitie did binde thée to lay thine owne life for his and not thy honour and mine whereof I call the Gods to auenge me of thy periurie in our mariage and I will purchace it among men by the frute that is issued of the daughter of whome thou didst leaue me girded and great the whiche for the vantage of beautie that she hath aboue all the fairest of the worlde I haue named hir Diana to the likenesse of the Plane that in heauen dothe deâ—ace all other The whiche I nourishe for the pryce and hire of thy head promising hir with my realme in mariage to him that shall bring me that present And for this I haue caused the towers of Phebus and Diana to be builded Wherein she shal be inclosed not to be séene of any liuing man vntill the comming of my auenger hir husbande the whiche shall shine in thy place and shée shall fayle in myne after the companie that my soule shall go